Improvement in tools for splitting bark upon trees



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE E. MICHAELS, OF PALERMO, MAINE.

IMPROVEMENT IN TOOLS FOR SPLITTING BARK UPON TREES.

Specification forming l'part of Letters Patent No. 57,542, dated August 28, 1866.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, E. MIGHAELS, of Palermo, in the county of Waldo and State of Maine, have invented a new and Improved Tool for Stripping Bark from Trees; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof', which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference heilig had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ot' this specification, in which- Figure 1 isa side elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is a top view ot' the blade or knife. Fig. 3 is a top view of the handle.

Similar letters ot' reference indicate like parts.

My invention consists in a tool having a curved shank terminating in a three-edged knife, which shank is provided with a handle having two hard rollers, the one on the end for being seized by the right hand and 011e tit-ted to slide along the handle, so as to be placed in the propel" position for being seized by the left hand, whereby a simple and ecient tool for stripping the bark from trees is provided.

A designates the shank ofthe device. This is curved or hook-shaped, and has upon its end a three-edged knit'e, B, with sharpened edges. Two edges of the knife pointin opposite directions from the shank, and the other in an upward direction, as can he readily un derstood by reference to Figs. 1 and 2. This shank is connected to a handle, C, which earries upon its end a roller, a, to be taken'V hold otl by the hand, said roller havingits bearings in a frame, D, connected to said handle.

Another hand-roller or handle, E, is fitted to slide upon the handle G in such manner that itmay be brought and secured at any point upon the handle to suit the operator of the tool. It is secured in any position by screwing a nut, b, or turning the said roller E so as to screw down the nut.

To use the device, take the hand-roller a. in the right hand and the roller E in the other; then by inserting the point of the device under the bark ofthe tree it may be drawn downward, and thus cut or slit through the bark, the back of the tool thel meanwhile resting against the tree under the bark. The three blades cut in as many directions, the vertical one cutting through the thickness of the bark, while the others loosen up the bark along` the gash.

The tool is very simple and can be cheaply made.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A tool for peeling off the bark ot' trees, con sisting of the shank A, the three-edged knife B, handle C, and two hand-rollers, a and E, substantially as shown and described.

E. MIGHAELS.

Witnesses:

HIRAM T. BLACK, SOPHIA M. GOODWIN. 

